Improvement in ditghiissg-machines



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. I. A. GROVE.

DITdHING-MACHINES,

Patented Augl 7,1877.

FEIERS, PHOTO-U'THDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. o c.

- 3 Sheetv-Shet 2 J. A. GROVE.-

DITCHING-MACHIN-ES.

No. 193,815. Patented Aug. 7,1877.

meavtor ran/MW ft PETERS. PNOTO-LJYHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D

3 Sheets-Shet 3. J'. A. GROVE.

DITCHING-MACHINES.

No. 193,815. Patented Aug. 7,1877.

,dfvmntow N. PETER$ PMOTO-LITNOGRAPHER. WIISNINQTON, Dv C.

- To all whom it may concern:

will enable others skilled in the art to which supported on two maindriving-wheels, BB,

UNITED STATES JOHN A. GROVE, OF BLUFFTON, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DlTCHlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l

. May 7,

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. GRovn, of Blufl'ton, -in the county of Wellsand State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ditching-lVIachines; and I' do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which it pertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, andto the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

- My invention relates to improvements in ditching-machines, thenatureof which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side view, Fig. 2v a frontview, Fig. 3 a plan, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 detail views, of aditchingmachine constructed according to my invention.

In each of the views similar letters of referonce are employed toindicate corresponding parts whereverthey occur.

A A represent the main framing, which is and a beam or under carriage,0, supported on wheels 0. d representsthe cutter, which is supported andcarried by the elevator D, which is capable of adjustment vertically, ashereinafter explained, in order to regulate the depth of channel formedby the cutter d. The sides at of the elevator D, form a channel inwhich, by means of rollers 0 6 an endless band or chain, E, isconducted, upon the outor surface of which is mounted a series ofelevating plates or buckets, e 6?. F is another endless band conductedover rollers f f, supported and revolving between Plates f f in suchmanner that the band F shall act with the buckets 6 6 the band or chainE, and the plates f f to form a channel, G, with a series ofreceptacles, g, for the purpose of raising the earth displaced by thecutter d.

The wheels B are mounted so as: to. revolve freely on an axis, B, whichrevolves in bearings b, carried by the main framing A. Upon the axis Bon each side of the apparatus is mounted a ratchet-wheel, a, which isdriven by means of a ratchet, ct, supported on an axis carried by thewheels B, by means of which, when the apparatus is being drawn for- 93,@K5, dated August 7, 187.7 application filed ward by horse or otherpower, motion is communicated to the working parts, as hereinafterexplained; but when the apparatus is being drawn backward for any cause,or when the same is being turned, the ratchets a will slip and allow thefree revolution of the wheels B independently of the other mechanism.

H is a-cog-wheel, mounted on the axis B, which engages with agear-wheel, I, mounted on one end of a shaft, 1', carried by the mainframing A, on the opposite end of which is affixed a bevel-wheel, i,which engages with. a correspondingbevel-wheel, j, mounted on the lowerend of the. vertical shaft J supported with capability of revolving inbearings j j. j is a bevel-wheel, mounted on the shaft J in such mannerthat it shall revolve with the shaft J, but at the same time is capableof freely sliding thereon vertically, in order that it may at all timesengage with the bevel-pinion eflmounted on one end of the shaft o of theroller e, on the opposite end of which is affixed the cog-wheel 6 whichgears into and drives a cog-wheel, f aflixed on the end of the shaft fof the rollerf, thereby giving a simultaneous motion to the chain orband E and belt F.

The elevator D, with its working parts, is raised and lowered by meansof a winch-handle, k, affixed on one end of a shaft K, upon which ismounted a pinion, I0 gearing into a cog-wheel, 70 mounted on the end ofa shaft, 70?, upon which is affixed apinion, 7c, the teeth of whichengage with a toothed rack, d formed on, or aflixed to, the face of theelevator D.

The chain or band E and belt F are caused to revolve in the direction ofthe arrows l 1, thereby causing the earth displaced by the cutter d tobe carried up by the elevating plates or buckets c and dischargedthrough the mouth 6 onto the inclined platf0rmA down which it slides toan endless traveling belt, L, which issupported on rollersl L andarranged to operate between the inclined platforms 'A A2 Motion iscommunicated to the traveling belt L, in the direction of the arrow 2,by means of a bevel-pinion, l mounted on the shaft of the roller l,which is driven by means of a bevel-pinion, i affixed on a shaft, 1', on

which is also mounted a driving-pulley, around which passes a band, Z,to which motion is communicated by means of a pulley, 1 mounted on themain shaft B.

M is a segmental rack, arranged in front of the drivers seat N. Beneaththe rack M is arranged a shaft, 0, upon which is mounted a pair ofhand-levers, o p.

The lever 0, at its upper end, is formed with a suitable handle, 0 and acatch, 0 adapted to engage with the serrations m in the face of the rackM, while its lower end is provided with a loop or ring, 0 to which isattached one end of .a pair of chains, 0 which pass over pulleys 0 and,at their lower ends, are

connected to links attached to the lower front part of the frame of theelevator D, the object of the lever 0 being to regulate the tension ofthe chains 0 in order to insure the steadiness of the elevator D, andto'prevent strain thereon when the cutters d are at work.

The lever 11 is provided with a catch, 10, engaging with a suitablenotch or notches in the face of the rack M. To this lever is attachedone end of a connecting-rod, 11 the opposite end of which is, bypin-joint, connected to one arm of an L-lever, 10 which is pivoted onthe end of the center-pin c of the beam 0, while the opposite arm of thelever 10 is pivoted to the upper end of a connectinglink, the lower endof which is pivoted to a bracket, 19", carried by the front of the frameA.

By moving the lever 19 backward orforward the center-pin 0 will beraised or depressed, and, consequently, the forward end of the frame Acorrespondingly raised or lowered, thereby altering the angle at whichthe various parts operate.

To the front face of the beam 0 a pair of guides, q, areattached,between which a vertical plate, q, is arranged to slide. On the lowerend of the plate q bearings g are formed, through which passes a rod, 1upon which is pivoted the forked arm of the shaft g of the guide-pulleyQ, the object of the pulley Q being, when a trench or ditch has been cutto a given depth, that, on the next bout, the apparatus may be guided,so that the cutter cl shall follow correctly the line'of the sides ofthe ditch. g is a small roller revolving in bearings carried by thelower end of the shaft g and arranged within the roller Q, which, asshown by Fig. 4, is formed hollow, and revolves on a loose inclinedsleeve, q", placed on the shaft g is a loop affixed to the shaft q*, towhich is attached one end of a cord or chain, q", the other end of whichis attached to the end of a sliding hand-bar or rod, 0', working to andfro in guides 1' r. The under side of the rod r is notched, so as toengage with a catch or stop in the slotted guide 1. When the guidefwheelQ is not required to be used, or when it is desired to raise or lowerthe same, the rod 1" is pushed forward or drawn backward by its handle rthereby letting out or drawing in the cord or chain q.

When commencing to work, or when turning the apparatus, the wheel Q israised entirely up out of the way, so that it shall not touch thesurface of the land but immediately a second or succeeding bout is com-.menced, it is dropped down into the position shown by Figs. 1 and 2,when it will run in the ditch with its periphery working against thesides of the ditch, and the roller g resting on the bottom of'the same.

As the machine is conducted across a field the cutter d will form theditch, while the buckets formed by the elevating-plates e and the bandsE F will conduct the earth removed to the top of the apparatus, fromwhich it will fall onto the inclined platform A and slide down onto theendless belt L, by which it will be carried to onesi'de of the trench orditch, and there discharged.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a ditching-machine having an elevator, D,provided at its lower end with a cutter or cutters, d; and having arevolving endless belt or chain, E, buckets c and a band, F, asdescribed, of the endless delivery-belt L, substantially as set forth.

2. In a ditching-machine, an elevator, D, provided with a cutter orcutters, d, belt or chain E, buckets c and band F, the said elevator.Dbeing capable of adjustment vertically in relation to the framing Aindependently of the driving means, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a ditching-machine, of a shaft, g provided witha roller, a loose inclined sleeve, g and a horizontal guide-wheel, Q,constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

4. The combination, with the beam or under carriage of aditching-machine, of the sliding plate g hinged shaft 1, roller (1 andguide-roller Q, substantiallyas described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. cnovn.

